'Run for the Wall' Takes Off for Washington D.C This Morning

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - They're getting their motors running in Ontario, California this morning as the annual Run for the Wall begins its nine day ride to Washington D.C.

And among those supporting the thousands of riders who will take the northern most of the three routes is St. Louisan Dennis Kluge. Kluge tells Total Information AM Weekend he’s been part of the hydration team, which rides ahead of the bikes to be ready when the riders need them, for 15 years.

"They stop probably every two hours or so because they need to fuel up, and at those stops we’re there to provide them with water, or drinks or hydration of some sort, and then snacks if they need them," he says.

The bikes will be coming through the St. Louis area next Monday and Tuesday en-route to Washington D.C, where they will arrive at the Vietnam Memorial on Memorial Day to honors veterans and those killed in action and raise POW and MIA awareness.

Kluge says if you think patriotism is dead in America, the run will convince you otherwise.

“There’s people out in remote areas with flags on the side of the road, at the end of their drive way, and you come into some of the bigger towns like Albuquerque…and St. Louis, especially, there’s a lot of people waving flags on the highways, over the bridges and what have you,” he says.